First pitch: Matt Dominguez returns to the lineup, but tarp is still on

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Although his left hand was still sore, Astros third baseman Matt Dominguez returned to the starting lineup Saturday night against the Indians.

“It’s sore, but that’s about it,” Dominguez said. “I guess it’s just what I can tolerate. It doesn’t feel that bad.”

Dominguez initially thought he had broken his left hand after Cleveland closer Chris Perez hit him with a pitch in the ninth inning Thursday night. He was lifted for a pinch-hitter later in that inning after Chris Carter walked to load the bases.

“When I got hit and I was getting X-Rays I thought it was broken the way it was feeling and stuff,” he said. “It got black and blue right away and then it just didn’t feel right. I could have played the field. … I think they wanted somebody faster than me so they pinch ran for me.”

Brandon Laird played third base in Dominguez’s absence Friday, committed a crucial error that led to an unearned run that proved to be the difference in a 2-1 loss.